Municipal crews are clearing out the belongings of Stanbery Park residents

CINCINNATI – City of Cincinnati police officers and crew members spent hours in Mount Washington on Thursday, packing trucks and trailers full of items such as books, boxes and clothing – most of the items belonging to people who lived in Stanbery Park.

“They came in this morning and started moving my stuff out of here,” Jessica Johnson said.

Johnson and several other park residents watched as the city confiscated their belongings. She said no one gave them a reason for the cleanup, only telling her to grab what she could and leave.

City of Cincinnati employees at the park told WCPO that the items were being discarded in a nearby dumpster.

“There are my dead mother’s things,” Johnson said. “This is all I had left of my mother, it’s right on the truck.”

Some people who visit the park say the people living there raise safety concerns for neighbors.

“The homeless encampments have been invading our area recently and it is an ongoing project,” said Jack Diesel, a member of the Mount Washington Community Council.

Diesel said people living in the park were warned about Thursday's cleanup and offered alternatives.

Last June, the Supreme Court ruled that it is not cruel and unusual punishment for a city or town to punish someone for sleeping outside even if they have nowhere to go. Days before that ruling, the city of Cincinnati and the Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition agreed to an $83,000 settlement arising from a lawsuit over how former city officials handled a large encampment of people in 2018 Lived camping on 3rd Street.

The city also changed its policies regarding how city officials handle complaints about homeless encampments. We reached out to the city government to get more information about the cleanup and whether alternatives had previously been offered to people living there, but have not received a response.

As for Johnson, she said she's in trouble now.

“(I will) try to find someone to help me, listen to my story and try to help me,” Johnson said.

Brian Gary of Neighborhoods United says those who would like to help can email [email protected] or call 513-221-JUST.